Letters to the editor: Personal freedoms should extend to marijuana use

Published 6:11 am, Thursday, January 15, 2015

Not that many years ago, U.S. citizens could be imprisoned for having a few bottles of wine in their house, or for enjoying beer with friends while watching a football game. Today, this seems incredible that this overreaching by the federal government could happen.

Not that alcohol is harmless, but the real danger is that the government would presume to decide the personal behavior that we must all adhere to. That infringement on personal freedom was quashed by popular demand from ordinary citizens. They knew then as we know now that government intrusion into personal rights is a threat to the American way of life and personal freedom.

This same federal overreaching is being reversed in the case of marijuana. Almost half of the states (23) now permit medical marijuana, and three states (Washington, Oregon and Colorado) have placed marijuana in the same controlled substance status as alcohol and tobacco, which makes it legal for adults to use it as they please.

Since the days of black and white TV and President Nixon’s “war on drugs,” marijuana was placed in the same drug group as cocaine and heroin, as one of the most dangerous drugs. This classification of marijuana has nothing to do with toxicity and everything to do with politics. Marijuana has zero toxicity to humans and primates in countless lab experiments. Annual reports from CDC show no deaths from marijuana usage. Contrast this with alcohol (110,000 deaths), tobacco (430,000 deaths), prescription drugs (32,000 deaths), non-steroidal drugs such as aspirin (7,600 deaths) and illicit drugs other than marijuana (17,000).

Recent history from the three states that have placed marijuana in a controlled status like alcohol and tobacco have not seen any adverse health problems relating to marijuana. There is increased usage from people who have never used marijuana before, but it has been from older people who would rather use marijuana than oxycontin, percoset or any other of the dangerous prescription drugs — and these states have not seen an upsurge from minors using marijuana. The 23 states that allow marijuana to be used by prescription have seen widespread relief of medical issues from certain forms of epilepsy and tremors, to joint and arthritis pain, freeing people from taking more dangerous prescription drugs but having a more desirable improvement in their personal lives. Those people receiving cancer treatment find relief from pain, nausea and a better appetite to keep their strength up.

Hemp (marijuana) for textiles, building materials and hundreds of other uses is illegal to grow in the U.S., even though these modified varieties have none of the THC agent that produces an intoxicating effect. Tennessee leads the way in trying to get the federal government to remove this prohibition on marijuana grown for fiber. Texas farmers would benefit enormously with a fiber crop that would compete with cotton and have none of the pesticide needs of cotton. This prohibition is an illogical leftover remnant from times past.

Texas may finally look at this issue in 2015. This issue is not a conservative or liberal one. In fact, personal freedom always has been at the forefront of conservative philosophy. Ron Paul (a physician) and other Republicans have preached for years that marijuana should be made available to adults who want to use it. The government has no right to decide for adults what they can use for medical or recreational uses as long as it poses no health risk for others. The states are leading the way on this issue and are not waiting on the federal government agencies to make up their mind. The majority of people in the United States now believe that marijuana poses no risk and adults should be permitted to make their own decision about whether to use it, just like alcohol and tobacco. The very fact that millions of people are now using it in nearly half of the states without any of the predicted harm speaks to the safety of this product.

We in Texas spend about $25,000 per year to confine a single person convicted of marijuana possession. Multiply this by thousands and we taxpayers pay millions to uphold this outdated approach to marijuana. We also pay billions of dollars to law enforcement relating to marijuana control. If the state regulates marijuana sales, the illicit trade diminishes as legal sales increase. Marijuana product sales generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new tax money for the states. The states that permit recreational use of marijuana have seen actual tax revenues exceed predictions.

Marijuana was and is a political issue, not a medical or public safety one. Our politicians need to know your opinion on this issue of personal freedom. We have a history in this state to push back against those things that threaten the Texas way of life and personal liberty. We in Texas need to get rid of these antiquated laws that cost us so much in tax dollars without making our state any better. I am 71 and have seen enough of what does not work. We need change. Write and call your politicians to chart a new direction in Texas and speak up when this issue comes up in conversation.